Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 02:23:05 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Search:     Advanced search
we're back, baby
*
Home Help Search Login Register
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  The Gaming Graveyard  |  MMOG Discussion  |  Topic: Asheron's Call 1+2 going into maintenance mode, F2P + player-run servers 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Pages: 1 [2] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Asheron's Call 1+2 going into maintenance mode, F2P + player-run servers  (Read 44966 times)
Azaroth
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1959


Reply #35 on: March 26, 2014, 07:12:31 AM

It could never have worked, but it was a fun thought experiment.

You've pretty much described the entirety of MMOG development history.  why so serious?

No, just the good parts.

F  is inviting you to start Quarto. Do you want to Accept (Alt+C) or Decline (Alt+D) the invitation?
 
  You have accepted the invitation to start Quarto.
 
F  says:
don't know what this is
Az  says:
I think it's like
Az  says:
where we pour milk on the stomach alien from total recall
Azaroth
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1959


Reply #36 on: March 26, 2014, 07:24:48 AM

I'd also like to echo that I think this is very classy. It shows that they actually care about the game.

I hope someone takes this and runs with it.

F  is inviting you to start Quarto. Do you want to Accept (Alt+C) or Decline (Alt+D) the invitation?
 
  You have accepted the invitation to start Quarto.
 
F  says:
don't know what this is
Az  says:
I think it's like
Az  says:
where we pour milk on the stomach alien from total recall
Hutch
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1893


Reply #37 on: March 26, 2014, 07:54:29 AM

That whole game wound up being an interesting thought experiment. An unlimited PVP server that actually sort of worked under a system of self policing. A player base dropping the in game currency almost completely and going to a barter system based off a rare resource that had little other value.

The game didn't have an auction hall, so players wrote bot scripts to run alts that would auto trade items based on specific trade values, and then turned a travel hub in the game in to a community market.

Best of all, the Devs never got in the way of any of this.

The devs did, from time to time, introduce new non-pyreal currency items, so we shifted from pyreal motes to iron keys to virindi chest keys, etc etc. They also created a new zone to serve as the trading hall, to get the players the hell out of the subway.

The in-game currency did eventually regain some value as barter currency, as the devs started introducing expensive spell comps, and a significant segment of the player base was too lazy (or too automated) to loot their kills.

Plant yourself like a tree
Haven't you noticed? We've been sharing our culture with you all morning.
The sun will shine on us again, brother
Stormwaltz
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2918


Reply #38 on: March 29, 2014, 02:05:44 AM

Okay, I thought of something, but it's likely of significance only to me.

Very early in AC2's development, I wrote a script for a trailer. It was utterly foolish, my own blue sky dreaming of what the game should be, unleavened by any thought of budget or peer opinion. Here it is.


Nothing in this post represents the views of my current or previous employers.

"Isn't that just like an elf? Brings a spell to a gun fight."

"Sci-Fi writers don't invent the future, they market it."
- Henry Cobb
Scold
Terracotta Army
Posts: 331


Reply #39 on: March 30, 2014, 04:23:35 PM

Sweet Jesus that's beautiful... "likely of significance only to me" my ass. ;p Paints a picture that doesn't really fall within the technical/game design bounds of a traditional MMO (unleavened by any thought of budget, as you note), but when I idly imagine what Asheron's Call 2: The Movie might be like, I'm going to have your vision in my head now. Reminds me a little bit of how the Avatar world-runners advanced their setting from Aang to Korra.
UnwashedMasses
Terracotta Army
Posts: 121


Reply #40 on: March 30, 2014, 05:36:55 PM


AC1 was a pretty darn decent MMO.  Nostalgia and all that, no doubt, but I had a lot of fun there.

Still fond memories of running for my life in some lugian cavern, and camping the Green Mire Yoroi Cuirass.

Feeling old now.
Count Nerfedalot
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1041


Reply #41 on: March 31, 2014, 01:40:46 PM

I loved AC, except for three things in descending order of significance:

Rubberbanding,

crafting and combat requiring skill points from the same pool,

The world change that converted 3/4 of the map (The Dires) from a place you could carefuly make your way through, picking your fights, into a densely populated clusterfuc k of static spawns placed so close together you had to fight.every.single.step.of.the.way to get amywhere.

The first two were gradually wearing me down. The advent of the third, combined with changes that made the first two even worse instead of better, killed it for me in no time.

But I still miss it and think whistfully of what might have been.

Yes, I know I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
Numtini
Terracotta Army
Posts: 7675


Reply #42 on: March 31, 2014, 02:07:29 PM

Quote
crafting and combat requiring skill points from the same pool,
I thought that was one of the best ideas in AC.

If you can read this, you're on a board populated by misogynist assholes.
Count Nerfedalot
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1041


Reply #43 on: March 31, 2014, 02:59:32 PM

Quote
crafting and combat requiring skill points from the same pool,
I thought that was one of the best ideas in AC.

Well, I despised it there and I despised it in SWG. I like crafting and want to be able to make -something- useful., I also like combat and want to be able to hold my own in a fight. I don't need to be able to master all crafts with a single character, nor do I need to be a top performing tank and mage and healer in a single character. But having my only option to experience both sides of the game with a single identity being to be gimped in one or the other or both sucks, and I doubt I'll ever spend another dime for that "privilege".

I guess those games just aren't FOR me, any more than the other pvp games are. I'm just too old and stressed out to want my recreation to be 100% pvp on top of real life. LOL


Yes, I know I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
Evil Elvis
Terracotta Army
Posts: 963


Reply #44 on: April 01, 2014, 05:39:47 PM

It's been years since I played, but most people I knew did have at least 1 crafting skill trained.

Specializing increased the skill point cost (and you wanted any combat skill specialized),  there wasn't really a reason to spec more to have more than 1 melee skill, magic schools cost a lot of skill points and experience to be useful, and thus you usually ended up buying at least 1 crafting skill.  Because of the experience curve, you could get a crafting skill high enough to do everything you need without any real impact on your non-crafting skills.
HellsWrathMT
Guest


Email
Reply #45 on: April 02, 2014, 02:00:40 PM

A lot has changed in the last few years, new combat skills (void magic, summoning(pets), dual-wield, 2hand), end game XP called Luminance to increase Damage/Reduction ratings and new attack mechanics like in the Viridian Rise with monster power-attacks that make it un-macroable.

I've been streaming the last few days for people that have been asking to see the new area and mechanics before deciding to join up prior to f2p.

Check it out at twitch.tv/hellswrathmt

See you in Dereth
Stormwaltz
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2918


Reply #46 on: April 02, 2014, 10:45:23 PM

Caught you right before you logged.

Ah, nostalgic spellcasting sounds...

Nothing in this post represents the views of my current or previous employers.

"Isn't that just like an elf? Brings a spell to a gun fight."

"Sci-Fi writers don't invent the future, they market it."
- Henry Cobb
Numtini
Terracotta Army
Posts: 7675


Reply #47 on: April 03, 2014, 09:58:21 AM

The portal sound really got me.

I just remembered why I first played AC instead of EQ. It was because I had this laptop (K6/200mhz) and AC didn't require a 3d card, it was actually a 2d game.

If you can read this, you're on a board populated by misogynist assholes.
HellsWrathMT
Guest


Email
Reply #48 on: April 03, 2014, 12:42:15 PM

I'll be streaming a few times a week at least, usually in afternoon or late evening. Most past broadcasts should be available as well.

I'll have to hop on a Void Mage, the spell sounds are creepy.
HellsWrathMT
Guest


Email
Reply #49 on: May 19, 2014, 07:40:45 PM

Stormwaltz
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2918


Reply #50 on: May 20, 2014, 11:28:21 AM

But the most exciting bit:

Quote
Our current plan is to offer the first player run server packages and to open up our player run server sub-forums by the end of the year. Our first offering will be a basic AC1 server and client download. We expect the first offering to be light on documentation, as it is intended for enthusiasts with experience in setting up servers and dealing with networking. While set up instructions will be offered on these new sub-forums, this initial offering will be intended to be used in conjunction with the forums to allow the community to begin the process of running servers and creating documentation for that process.

I bunch of the people I used to play with have reactivated their accounts on WE, and plan to set up their own server.

Coincidentally, yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the day I was hired by Turbine as an intern content builder for AC. I've been in this industry for as long as some players have been alive...

Nothing in this post represents the views of my current or previous employers.

"Isn't that just like an elf? Brings a spell to a gun fight."

"Sci-Fi writers don't invent the future, they market it."
- Henry Cobb
Scold
Terracotta Army
Posts: 331


Reply #51 on: May 21, 2014, 10:10:02 AM

But the most exciting bit:

Quote
Our current plan is to offer the first player run server packages and to open up our player run server sub-forums by the end of the year. Our first offering will be a basic AC1 server and client download. We expect the first offering to be light on documentation, as it is intended for enthusiasts with experience in setting up servers and dealing with networking. While set up instructions will be offered on these new sub-forums, this initial offering will be intended to be used in conjunction with the forums to allow the community to begin the process of running servers and creating documentation for that process.

I bunch of the people I used to play with have reactivated their accounts on WE, and plan to set up their own server.

Coincidentally, yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the day I was hired by Turbine as an intern content builder for AC. I've been in this industry for as long as some players have been alive...

Private servers are cool and all, but I'm most excited about the potential release of content creation tools down the line. My understanding is that they're not as horrific as back in the early days, thanks to Sev's efforts...
Venkman
Terracotta Army
Posts: 11536


Reply #52 on: May 22, 2014, 07:38:05 PM

Holy crap I'm old. But this is awesome news. Well, for people who were really deep in AC1 anyway. I went from UO to EQ1 and by then could only dabble in AC1 while I was really getting sucked into Norrath. I'd love a game to come along with that same level of emotional depth again, but honestly, only after I'm retired  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?
Severian
Terracotta Army
Posts: 473


Reply #53 on: December 21, 2016, 12:06:23 AM

It's over.

Quote
It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the end of our support for Asheron's Call and Asheron’s Call 2, and will close both services on January 31st, 2017.

This decision did not come easy, and we know this is disappointing for many of you. This game is a labor of love, and it's not easy for us to bring it to an end. We have had a phenomenally long run; one of the longest in the world of MMORPGs, and that in and of itself is a spectacular feat. We are proud of our legacy, and the entire Asheron's Call team has been honored to adventure with you for nearly twenty years. We thank you very much for being a part of it. It’s been an amazing run. You’ve done Asheron Realaidain proud.

Between now and January 31st, 2017, the game will remain available to play, completely free, for any player currently with an account. New account creation will be disabled. If you have any questions, please visit support.wbgames.com
Mandella
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1235


Reply #54 on: December 21, 2016, 04:03:47 PM

Well, at least we can't say they didn't give it a good run.

There's been talk of private servers. Wonder if anything will come of that?
Torinak
Terracotta Army
Posts: 847


Reply #55 on: December 21, 2016, 08:39:12 PM

Well, at least we can't say they didn't give it a good run.

There's been talk of private servers. Wonder if anything will come of that?

No private servers according to an official response on the forums.

Sad, but not unexpected.

Asheron's Call had a really good run. I sure had a heck of a lot of fun playing it for many years.
Mandella
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1235


Reply #56 on: December 21, 2016, 09:36:36 PM

I just remembered that my first "End of the World" party was at the culmination of the Asheron's call beta. We all sat outside and watched the dire comet threatening the sky as we chatted about the future of the world when it would be reborn.

I might just have to jump back in January 31st. I wonder how many old friends I'll see?
Cheddar
I like pink
Posts: 4987

Noob Sauce


Reply #57 on: December 24, 2016, 04:01:20 PM

Sad.  I loved this game  Heartbreak

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
EWSpider
Terracotta Army
Posts: 499


Reply #58 on: January 11, 2017, 06:48:00 AM

Forgive the Reddit link, but if you played AC this is a must watch:

https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/5n82zt/my_grandpa_has_played_this_mmo_for_over_17_years/

Direct youtube link if you want to avoid Reddit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPiBrIXCiQE

It's a story/video of a 74 year old grandpa that has played AC since the beginning.  Seventeen years!

most often known as Drevik
Bunk
Contributor
Posts: 5828

Operating Thetan One


Reply #59 on: January 11, 2017, 07:20:40 AM

While everyone else was playing Everquest, Stewie and I were playing Asheron's Call. Darktide forever!

The graphics may have been shit, but that was a game with real character and community.

"Welcome to the internet, pussy." - VDL
"I have retard strength." - Schild
Rasix
Moderator
Posts: 15024

I am the harbinger of your doom!


Reply #60 on: January 11, 2017, 10:04:54 AM

While everyone else was playing Everquest, Stewie and I were playing Asheron's Call. Darktide forever!

The graphics may have been shit, but that was a game with real character and community and duping.

Added a bit a the end there.  awesome, for real

I think AC is the game where I started to give up on PVP in MMOs. I know people had a love for Darktide, but I found it to be completely bothersome. The mechanics of the game were partially to blame for it (jesus christ, the buffing), but the conflict was a bit too ever present for me. Of course, I learned nothing and played on Darktide for a brief AC2 stint. Holy shit that game was awful.

-Rasix
WayAbvPar
Moderator
Posts: 19268


Reply #61 on: January 17, 2017, 04:43:47 PM

I missed this one. I went UO-EQ-DAOC. Wish I would have at least tried it out.

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Torinak
Terracotta Army
Posts: 847


Reply #62 on: January 17, 2017, 05:20:01 PM

It had some pretty innovative features, some of which haven't really been copied.

They did a bunch to support content creation tools, which meant they were pushing many new dungeons pretty much every month. Granted, there was a bit of a cookie-cutter feel to them (in large part due to texture limits of the day), but still. The content creation tools also meant they were comfortable really trashing the world on a regular basis--cities would get blown up (and new ones opened/founded), pretty much the entire world would change with the seasons, major invasions, etc.

The leveling system was a hybrid of skill- and level-based. Experience points got you levels which let you buy new skills, but XP was also allocated directly to skills which increased through usage as well.

For a while, the magic system was "secret"--above a low level, the spell formulas were character-specific, so you had to experiment. (taper rotation!)

It had an "allegiance" system, where your vassals would pass up some experience to their patron. At its best, it created a motivation for recruiting and helping new players (doing so could get you free experience if they pledged to you).

Monsters could level up as they killed players.

Some dungeons had actual jumping puzzles, and combat had some "twitch" elements (side-stepping spells/arrows).

Death had actual penalties. Items would be left on your corpse (with a few ways to reduce the likelihood you'd lose something critical), and you'd suffer a temporary skill and experience penalty (vitae) you'd have to earn off. You could get into a "vitae pit" where you nearly lost the ability to progress; that was a sign you should just log out for a while.

The world was huge, but with enough fast-travel capabilities (portals, lifestone ties) that travel was more of an adventure than an ordeal. There were so many little things stuck all over the world that exploration was fun--it was likely you'd find something that nobody else had ever found, even if just a hut with a few mobs, a small cave, or some ruins overlooking a lake.

The lore was very non-traditional-fantasy. No elves, orcs, etc. Races were human only, inspired by European, Asian, and Arabic cultures.

It also had enough bugs and quirks that meta-gaming was a big thing. One really funny bug was the "Wi flag". A bad hash function was used to determine who'd get aggro by default, and a guy named "Wi" always won. Whenever he'd enter a dungeon, every single monster would run toward him.

It was a lot of fun, a lot of the time.
Bunk
Contributor
Posts: 5828

Operating Thetan One


Reply #63 on: January 18, 2017, 02:31:19 PM

It was the little details. The game launched without all of the towns in the world even being on the map. Before people figured out how to read the data, you actually had to explore to find things. One town wasn't discovered until a few weeks after launch, and it was kept a secret for several weeks after that. Ended up being the site of a massive intra-guild betrayal, and subsequent war.

The politics in Darktide were amazing, and completely player driven. There was no form of area control or ownership in the game at launch. You were tied to a particular respawn point and the was it. Guilds "owned" areas based on their presence there. Everything became about Guilds. Your Guild was visible to everyone on sight, and first reactions became entirely based on Guild Reputations. Websites popped up to map out the political zones of the game, based on what guilds were controlling what areas. Because the world was huge and fast travel limited, it was a significant thing to get a guild to "move".

Probably still the only Open MMO PVP Game to have a stat for Run Speed that you could choose to level up. Or twitch combat for that matter. Yeah, eventually got cheated to hell, but was cool while it lasted.

Gold was totally devalued due to a lack of sinks, so eventually a whole economy formed over rare drop items. There was no in game auction hall of any sort, so people created one by setting up bot characters that would trade items based off of scripts, and dropping them in the biggest fast travel hub. All player driven.

As you can tell, I have fond memories of that stupid game.


"Welcome to the internet, pussy." - VDL
"I have retard strength." - Schild
Pages: 1 [2] Go Up Print 
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  The Gaming Graveyard  |  MMOG Discussion  |  Topic: Asheron's Call 1+2 going into maintenance mode, F2P + player-run servers  
Jump to:  

Powered by SMF 1.1.10 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC